andthehomicidesshallabidebytheirjudgment。Butifaftertheyhavereturnedhome,anyoneoftheminamomentofangerrepeatsthedeed,lethimbeanexile,andreturnnomore;orifhereturns,lethimsufferasthestrangerwastosufferinasimilarcase。Hewhokillshisownslaveshallundergoapurification,butifhekillstheslaveofanotherinanger,heshallpaytwicetheamountofthelosstohisowner。Andifanyhomicideisdisobedienttothelaw,andwithoutpurificationpollutestheagora,orthegames,orthetemples,hewhopleasesmaybringtotrialthenextofkintothedeadmanforpermittinghim,andthemurdererwithhim,andmaycompeltheonetoexactandtheothertosufferadoubleamountoffinesandpurifications;andtheaccusershallhimselfreceivethefineinaccordancewiththelaw。Ifaslaveinafitofpassionkillshismaster,thekindredofthedeceasedmanmaydowiththemurdererprovidedonlytheydonotsparehislifewhatevertheyplease,andtheywillbepure;orifhekillsafreeman,whoisnothismaster,theownershallgiveuptheslavetotherelativesofthedeceased,andtheyshallbeunderanobligationtoputhimtodeath,butthismaybedoneinanymannerwhichtheyplease。
Andifwhichisarareoccurrence,butdoessometimeshappenafatheroramotherinamomentofpassionslaysasonordaughterbyblows,orsomeotherviolence,theslayershallundergothesamepurificationasinothercases,andbeexiledduringthreeyears;
butwhentheexilereturnsthewifeshallseparatefromthehusband,andthehusbandfromthewife,andtheyshallneverafterwardsbegetchildrentogether,orliveunderthesameroof,orpartakeofthesamesacredriteswiththosewhomtheyhavedeprivedofachildorofabrother。Andhewhoisimpiousanddisobedientinsuchacaseshallbebroughttotrialforimpietybyanyonewhopleases。Ifinafitofangerahusbandkillshisweddedwife,orthewifeherhusband,theslayershallundergothesamepurification,andthetermofexileshallbethreeyears。Andwhenhewhohascommittedanysuchcrimereturns,lethimhavenocommunicationinsacredriteswithhischildren,neitherlethimsitatthesametablewiththem,andthefatherorsonwhodisobeysshallbeliabletobebroughttotrialforimpietybyanyonewhopleases。Ifabrotherorasisterinafitofpassionkillsabrotherorasister,theyshallundergopurificationandexile,aswasthecasewithparentswhokilledtheiroffspring:theyshallnotcomeunderthesameroof,orshareinthesacredritesofthosewhomtheyhavedeprivedoftheirbrethren,oroftheirchildren。
Andhewhoisdisobedientshallbejustlyliabletothelawconcerningimpiety,whichrelatestothesematters。Ifanyoneissoviolentinhispassionagainsthisparents,thatinthemadnessofhisangerhedarestokilloneofthem,ifthemurderedpersonbeforedyingfreelyforgivesthemurderer,lethimundergothepurificationwhichisassignedtothosewhohavebeenguiltyofinvoluntaryhomicide,anddoastheydo,andheshallbepure。Butifhebenotacquitted,theperpetratorofsuchadeedshallbeamenabletomanylaws;-heshallbeamenabletotheextremepunishmentsforassault,andimpiety,androbbingoftemples,forhehasrobbedhisparentoflife;
andifamancouldbeslainmorethanonce,mostjustlywouldhewhoinafitofpassionhasslainfatherormother,undergomanydeaths。
Howcanhe,whom,aloneofallmen,evenindefenceofhislife,andwhenabouttosufferdeathatthehandsofhisparents,nolawwillallowtokillhisfatherorhismotherwhoaretheauthorsofhisbeing,andwhomthelegislatorwillcommandtoendureanyextremityratherthandothis-howcanhe,Isay,lawfullyreceiveanyotherpunishment?Letdeaththenbetheappointedpunishmentofhimwhoinafitofpassionslayshisfatherorhismother。Butifbrotherkillsbrotherinacivilbroil,orunderotherlikecircumstances,iftheotherhasbegun,andheonlydefendshimself,lethimbefreefromguilt,ashewouldbeifhehadslainanenemy;andthesamerulewillapplyifacitizenkillacitizen,orastrangerastranger。Orifastrangerkillacitizenoracitizenastrangerinself-defence,lethimbefreefromguiltinlikemanner;andsointhecaseofaslavewhohaskilledaslave;butifaslavehavekilledafreemaninself-defence,lethimbesubjecttothesamelawashewhohaskilledafather;andletthelawabouttheremissionofpenaltiesinthecaseofparricideapplyequallytoeveryotherremission。Wheneveranysuffererofhisownaccordremitstheguiltofhomicidetoanother,undertheideathathisactwasinvoluntary,lettheperpetratorofthedeedundergoapurificationandremaininexileforayear,accordingtolaw。
Enoughhasbeensaidofmurdersviolentandinvoluntaryandcommittedinpassion:wehavenowtospeakofvoluntarycrimesdonewithinjusticeofeverykindandwithpremeditation,throughtheinfluenceofpleasures,anddesires,andjealousies。
Cle。Verygood。
Ath。Letusfirstspeak,asfarasweareable,oftheirvariouskinds。Thegreatestcauseofthemislust,whichgetsthemasteryofthesoulmaddenedbydesire;andthisismostcommonlyfoundtoexistwherethepassionreignswhichisstrongestandmostprevalentamongmassofmankind:Imeanwherethepowerofwealthbreedsendlessdesiresofnever-to-be-satisfiedacquisition,originatinginnaturaldisposition,andamiserablewantofeducation。Ofthiswantofeducation,thefalsepraiseofwealthwhichisbruitedaboutbothamongHellenesandbarbariansisthecause;theydeemthattobethefirstofgoodswhichinrealityisonlythethird。Andinthiswaytheywrongbothposterityandthemselves,fornothingcanbenoblerandbetterthanthatthetruthaboutwealthshouldbespokeninallstates-namely,thatrichesareforthesakeofthebody,asthebodyisforthesakeofthesoul。Theyaregood,andwealthisintendedbynaturetobeforthesakeofthem,andisthereforeinferiortothemboth,andthirdinorderofexcellence。Thisargumentteachesusthathewhowouldbehappyoughtnottoseektoberich,orratherheshouldseektoberichjustlyandtemperately,andthentherewouldbenomurdersinstatesrequiringtobepurgedawaybyothermurders。Butnow,asIsaidatfirst,avariceisthechiefestcauseandsourceoftheworsttrialsforvoluntaryhomicide。A
secondcauseisambition:thiscreatesjealousies,whicharetroublesomecompanions,abovealltothejealousmanhimself,andinalessdegreetothechiefsofthestate。Andathirdcauseiscowardlyandunjustfear,whichhasbeentheoccasionofmanymurders。
Whenamanisdoingorhasdonesomethingwhichhedesiresthatnooneshouldknowhimtobedoingortohavedone,hewilltakethelifeofthosewhoarelikelytoinformofsuchthings,ifhehavenoothermeansofgettingridofthem。Letthisbesaidasapreludeconcerningcrimesofviolenceingeneral;andImustnotomittomentionatraditionwhichisfirmlybelievedbymany,andhasbeenreceivedbythemfromthosewhoarelearnedinthemysteries:theysaythatsuchdeedswillbepunishedintheworldbelow,andalsothatwhentheperpetratorsreturntothisworldtheywillpaythenaturalpenaltywhichisduetothesufferer,andendtheirlivesinlikemannerbythehandofanother。Ifhewhoisabouttocommitmurderbelievesthis,andismadebythemerepreludetodreadsuchapenalty,thereisnoneedtoproceedwiththeproclamationofthelaw。
Butifhewillnotlisten,letthefollowinglawbedeclaredandregisteredagainsthim:
Whoevershallwrongfullyandofdesignslaywithhisownhandanyofhiskinsmen,shallinthefirstplacebedeprivedoflegalprivileges;
andheshallnotpollutethetemples,ortheagora,ortheharbours,oranyotherplaceofmeeting,whetherheisforbiddenofmenornot;forthelaw,whichrepresentsthewholestate,forbidshim,andalwaysisandwillbeintheattitudeofforbiddinghim。Andifacousinornearerrelativeofthedeceased,whetheronthemaleorfemaleside,doesnotprosecutethehomicidewhenheought,andhavehimproclaimedanoutlaw,heshallinthefirstplacebeinvolvedinthepollution,andincurthehatredoftheGods,evenasthecurseofthelawstirsupthevoicesofmenagainsthim;andinthesecondplaceheshallbeliabletobeprosecutedbyanyonewhoiswillingtoinflictretributiononbehalfofthedead。Andhewhowouldavengeamurdershallobservealltheprecautionaryceremoniesoflavation,andanyotherswhichtheGodcommandsincasesofthiskind。Lethimhaveproclamationmade,andthengoforthandcompeltheperpetratortosuffertheexecutionofjusticeaccordingtothelaw。NowthelegislatormayeasilyshowthatthesethingsmustbeaccomplishedbyprayersandsacrificestocertainGods,whoareconcernedwiththepreventionofmurdersinstates。ButwhotheseGodsare,andwhatshouldbethetruemannerofinstitutingsuchtrialswithdueregardtoreligion,theguardiansofthelaw,aidedbytheinterpreters,andtheprophets,andtheGod,shalldetermine,andwhentheyhavedeterminedletthemcarryontheprosecutionatlaw。Thecauseshallhavethesamejudgeswhoareappointedtodecideinthecaseofthosewhoplundertemples。Lethimwhoisconvictedbepunishedwithdeath,andlethimnotbeburiedinthecountryofthemurderedman,forthiswouldbeshamelessaswellasimpious。Butifheflyandwillnotstandhistrial,lethimflyforever;or,ifhesetfootanywhereonanypartofthemurderedman’scountry,letanyrelationofthedeceased,oranyothercitizenwhomayfirsthappentomeetwithhim,killhimwithimpunity,orbindanddeliverhimtothoseamongthejudgesofthecasewhoaremagistrates,thattheymayputhimtodeath。Andlettheprosecutordemandsuretyofhimwhomheprosecutes;
threesuretiessufficientintheopinionofthemagistrateswhotrythecauseshallbeprovidedbyhim,andtheyshallundertaketoproducehimatthetrial。Butifhebeunwillingorunabletoprovidesureties,thenthemagistratesshalltakehimandkeephiminbonds,andproducehimatthedayoftrial。
Ifamandonotcommitamurderwithhisownhand,butcontrivesthedeathofanother,andistheauthorofthedeedinintentionanddesign,andhecontinuestodwellinthecity,havinghissoulnotpureoftheguiltofmurder,lethimbetriedinthesameway,exceptinwhatrelatestothesureties;andalso,ifhebefoundguilty,hisbodyafterexecutionmayhaveburialinhisnativeland,butinallotherrespectshiscaseshallbeastheformer;andwhetherastrangershallkillacitizen,oracitizenastranger,oraslaveaslave,thereshallbenodifferenceastouchingmurderbyone’sownhandorbycontrivance,exceptinthematterofsureties;andthese,ashasbeensaid,shallberequiredoftheactualmurdereronly,andhewhobringstheaccusationshallbindthemoveratthetime。Ifaslavebeconvictedofslayingafreemanvoluntarily,eitherbyhisownhandorbycontrivance,letthepublicexecutionertakehiminthedirectionofthesepulchre,toaplacewhencehecanseethetombofthedeadman,andinflictuponhimasmanystripesasthepersonwhocaughthimorders,andifhesurvive,lethimputhimtodeath。Andifanyonekillsaslavewhohasdonenowrong,becauseheisafraidthathemayinformofsomebaseandevildeedsofhisown,orforanysimilarreason,insuchacaselethimpaythepenaltyofmurder,ashewouldhavedoneifhehadslainacitizen。Therearethingsaboutwhichitisterribleandunpleasanttolegislate,butimpossiblenottolegislate。If,forexample,thereshouldbemurdersofkinsmen,eitherperpetratedbythehandsofkinsmen,orbytheircontrivance,voluntaryandpurelymalicious,whichmostoftenhappeninill-regulatedandill-educatedstates,andmayperhapsoccureveninacountrywhereamanwouldnotexpecttofindthem,wemustrepeatoncemorethetalewhichwenarratedalittlewhileago,inthehopethathewhohearsuswillbethemoredisposedtoabstainvoluntarilyonthesegroundsfrommurderswhichareutterlyabominable。Forthemyth,orsaying,orwhateverweoughttocallit,hasbeenplainlysetforthbypriestsofold;theyhavepronouncedthatthejusticewhichguardsandavengesthebloodofkindred,followsthelawofretaliation,andordainsthathewhohasdoneanymurderousactshouldofnecessitysufferthatwhichhehasdone。Hewhohasslainafathershallhimselfbeslainatsometimeorotherbyhischildren-ifamother,heshallofnecessitytakeawoman’snature,andlosehislifeatthehandsofhisoffspringinafterages;forwherethebloodofafamilyhasbeenpollutedthereisnootherpurification,norcanthepollutionbewashedoutuntilthehomicidalsoulwhichthedeedhasgivenlifeforlife,andhaspropitiatedandlaidtosleepthewrathofthewholefamily。ThesearetheretributionsofHeaven,andbysuchpunishmentsmenshouldbedeterred。Butiftheyarenotdeterred,andanyoneshouldbeincitedbysomefatalitytodeprivehisfatherormother,orbrethren,orchildren,oflifevoluntarilyandofpurpose,forhimtheearthlylawgiverlegislatesasfollows:-Thereshallbethesameproclamationsaboutoutlawry,andthereshallbethesamesuretieswhichhavebeenenactedintheformercases。Butinhiscase,ifhebeconvicted,theservantsofthejudgesandthemagistratesshallslayhimatanappointedplacewithoutthecitywherethreewaysmeet,andthereexposehisbodynaked,andeachofthemagistratesonbehalfofthewholecityshalltakeastoneandcastitupontheheadofthedeadman,andsodeliverthecityfrompollution;afterthat,theyshallbearhimtothebordersoftheland,andcasthimforthunburied,accordingtolaw。Andwhatshallhesufferwhoslayshimwhoofallmen,astheysay,ishisownbestfriend?Imeanthesuicide,whodepriveshimselfbyviolenceofhisappointedshareoflife,notbecausethelawofthestaterequireshim,noryetunderthecompulsionofsomepainfulandinevitablemisfortunewhichhascomeuponhim,norbecausehehashadtosufferfromirremediableandintolerableshame,butwhofromslothorwantofmanlinessimposesuponhimselfanunjustpenalty。Forhim,whatceremoniestherearetobeofpurificationandburialGodknows,andaboutthesethenextofkinshouldenquireoftheinterpretersandofthelawstheretorelating,anddoaccordingtotheirinjunctions。Theywhomeettheirdeathinthiswayshallbeburiedalone,andnoneshallbelaidbytheirside;theyshallbeburiedingloriouslyinthebordersofthetwelveportionstheland,insuchplacesasareuncultivatedandnameless,andnocolumnorinscriptionshallmarktheplaceoftheirinterment。Andifabeastofburdenorotheranimalcausethedeathofanyone,exceptinthecaseofanythingofthatkindhappeningtoacompetitorinthepubliccontests,thekinsmenofthedeceasedshallprosecutetheslayerformurder,andthewardensofthecountry,such,andsomanyasthekinsmenappoint,shalltrythecause,andletthebeastwhencondemnedbeslainbythem,andletthemcastitbeyondtheborders。
Andifanylifelessthingdepriveamanoflife,exceptinthecaseofathunderboltorotherfataldartsentfromtheGods-whetheramaniskilledbylifelessobjects,fallinguponhim,orbyhisfallinguponthem,thenearestofkinshallappointthenearestneighbourtobeajudge,andtherebyacquithimselfandthewholefamilyofguilt。Andheshallcastforththeguiltythingbeyondtheborder,ashasbeensaidabouttheanimals。
Ifamanisfounddead,andhismurdererbeunknown,andafteradiligentsearchcannotbedetected,thereshallbethesameproclamationasinthepreviouscases,andthesameinterdictonthemurderer;andhavingproceededagainsthim,theyshallproclaimintheagorabyaherald,thathewhohasslainsuchandsuchaperson,andhasbeenconvictedofmurder,shallnotsethisfootinthetemples,noratallinthecountryofthemurderedman,andifheappearsandisdiscovered,heshalldie,andbecastforthunburiedbeyondtheborder。Letthisonelawthenbelaiddownbyusaboutmurder;andletcasesofthissortbesoregarded。